Riddle Me This
by Suntra
Summary: Yusuke gets the chance to win something for his kingdom, and he accepts the challenge. ... But what are Kurama and Hiei doing here? {Yaoi, language, violence.}


Riddle Me This  
  
A/N: This story is for a contest I'm entering, and I want to see if everyone likes the concept and approve of my writing. Reviews will be loved! ^^  
  
"Yusuke-sama, you are wanted in the entrance hall. You have a visitor who wishes to speak to you at once." A blonde youkai called out in his monotone voice to Yusuke, who raised an eyebrow. Usually people called on him at earlier hours, in order to discuss the business or negotiate. They never got in touch with him at such a late time in the day, unless it's an emergency, and by then he'd know about it.  
  
"Thanks Yani, just a minute." Yusuke slipped on a white shirt to cover his bare chest, covered in scratches from his training moments ago. His black pants would have to do, he wasn't in the mood to change his entire outfit. He strode across his chambers and through the door, the servant at his heels. Together they walked down the maze of halls that was the castle, the new Makai Lord taking time to appreciate the walls of -his- palace. They never ceased to awe him with their intricate carvings and how the light from the torches gave them a soft, warm appearance.  
  
When the pair arrived in the hall, and Yusuke moved forward while his attendant flanked the door. His visitor was lounging in one of the few chairs in the room, but stood as soon as he entered. The youkai was slightly taller than Yusuke, with a mop of dark blue hair, and would pass off as a human if it weren't for the long tail protruding his pants, which was also dark blue, except with a band of yellow close to the base. He shook hands with Yusuke, a smile lighting up his face, but never reaching his eyes, the Lord noticed. Clearing his throat, the stranger began to speak.  
  
"Yusuke-sama, I am Ayumi, botanist in these parts of the Makai." His voice was deep, but scratchy, and not very pleasant to listen to. He pressed on. "There's no time for pleasantries, I'm afraid, I have pressing matters to attend to, as should yourself, and so I'd like to get down to business." Yusuke had no response to this, so he once again continued. "The other day I came across a large tree, much like the Kuchimame Tree. And do you know what it did?"  
  
"Try and eat you?" Yusuke grinned and raised his eyebrows, placing his hands at his hips.  
  
Ayumi chuckled. "It spoke to me. Of course, that's common with some species of trees, but this one knew my name, my age, what I was doing. The tree told me about my family, where I lived. And the oddest thing, it told me how I would die, and about the cutpurse I would have encountered on the way to your home, if I hadn't have detoured coming here, I'd be dead now. It was a splendid plant, you see." At this, the youkai brought out a small velvet pouch, fingering the cloth. Ayumi continued. "They say this type of tree is endangered. People never discover the tree and capture the seeds -which is required for the tree to live- before it withers. Only one of the seeds collected, if the seeds are planted, blossoms into the tree. Not to mention that the tree only gives out one batch of seeds its entire life. Which is the reason I've come today."  
  
"To try and get me to buy a bunch of seeds to a tree?" Yusuke snorted and scratched the back of his head, very confused. "I don't think I'll need them, but thanks for the offer."  
  
"If you'll excuse me, Lord Yusuke, you've mistaken me. I'm not even trying to sell them."  
  
"You're not?" That was amusing, for sure. Who wouldn't want to sell something that could predict the future?  
  
---Exactly.  
  
Why didn't -he- want them?  
  
These seeds could tell the future, tell things they didn't know, why wouldn't he pass that up? It could mean bounty for their kingdom, and for himself personally.  
  
"I'm interested now. If you're not selling them, what are you doing with them?" Yusuke motioned to the two chairs in the hall, and they both moved to take a seat.  
  
"I had proposed something else, a little more entertaining for me." The botanist grinned and propped his elbows on the arm rest, a smirk playing at the corners of his lip. "I have, of course, spoken to the other Makai lords about this, and they think my idea is a splendid one. Each of the kingdoms will submit a small fee to me to participate in a sort of. obstacle course, a maze. Each lord enters a representative to go through the maze, and if he reaches me and the seeds his kingdom wins them."  
  
"So you're going to try and get us killed so we won't have a future to predict?" Yusuke grinned, Ayumi had a wicked streak of humor, and it was obvious he nurtured that streak to the fullest possible way. You could tell by the glint in his eye, and when the gardener had said 'obstacle', they weren't just hurtles and walls to climb over. He was probably talking about some blood-thirsty plants with puzzles and demons posted at every corner they would have to fight.  
  
"Lord Yusuke, I am merely trying to help out the nobles of the Makai. Not jeopardize the best youkai they have to offer. So I propose you submit your own person to go after the seeds. Have you any objection?"  
  
"Before I stick anyone's neck out on the line, have any of the other lords entered their men into the contest?" Ayumi beamed, the question he been wanting him to ask all along. This could secure Yusuke's participation in the competition.  
  
"Yes, Lady Mukuro and Lord Yomi have both paid the entrance amount and given me the names of their subjects. Actually, just to share, Lord Yomi was bragging about the youkai he has added to my roster. He apparently thinks the seeds are already his."  
  
Ayumi lifted the bottom of the bag into the air, and six seeds dropped into the outstretched palm of his hand. They were colored a deep violet, and one was cracked down the middle. Yusuke leaned over to examine them, and he noticed that each one was branded with a pair of lips.  
  
'What the hell?' The man thought, quirking his eyebrows. 'A talking tree is supposed to grow out of this?' He shrugged and straightened himself, standing and lifting the botanist to his feet once the seeds had been returned to their pouch.  
  
"Thank you Ayumi-san, I will send notice to you with one of my messengers should I choose to accept your proposal. I must admit, this sounds amusing, if not for you and me." He followed his visitor to the door, where the botanist bowed his head before leaving.  
  
"You're quite welcome, Lord Yusuke, and may your night be a pleasant one." And with a swish of his cloak, Ayumi was already almost out of the gated grounds, walking with a jovial spring in his step.  
  
+|+|+|+|+  
  
Yusuke flopped down on his bed after dismissing Yani from his chambers. He had eaten a small dinner, seen to the beginning of the drafting of a treaty with a private clan of youkai about medicinal herb purchases, and readied himself for sleep. The only light in the room was a fire burning on the hearth at the opposite end of the room, engulfing him in warmth.  
  
'What a way to spend a week! I get to take a vacation AND do something worthwhile for the kingdom. Send Ayumi a letter, show up later, no problem.' Yusuke sat up, pushing himself between the blankets and resting his head on the pillow again. He was about ready to fall asleep when he suddenly thought of something.  
  
'Who're the other two guys Mukuro and Yomi are sending?'  
  
+|+|+|+|+  
  
Ayumi was sitting under the shade of large-leafed vine reading a scroll when the youkai came to bring him the letter. After breaking the seal from the paper, he unraveled it and read the message, which was as follows:  
  
Ayumi,  
  
Thank you for your invitation to participate in this contest of yours, I am, as you have probably guessed, responding to your request.  
  
I will be entering my kingdom, and I'll be the one sent to take part in the obstacle course. I trust that you agree to this, and I ask a letter in return giving the time and date of when it begins.  
  
I look forward to your reply.  
  
Sincerely,  
Urameshi Yusuke  
  
Chuckling at the brisk and informal way he wrote the letter, the botanist accepted a quill and ink from the youkai next to him and jotted down a brief note on the back of the original scroll. Signing his name with a flourish, he handed back the paper and pen to the demon, who walked off without a word. Ayumi went back to his book without another thought on the matter, unless you count that he was incredibly pleased his plan was working.  
  
+|+|+|+|+  
  
When the messenger youkai returned the letter and Yusuke'd scanned it, he smiled so wide and whooped so loud that even Yani was mildly surprised. Wrapping an arm about his servant's shoulder, he thrusted the paper into his hand.  
  
"Read it Yani! This is my vacation ticket!"  
  
The oni rolled the scroll open and read through it, then grinned at his master with equal enthusiasm. Lord Yusuke,  
  
The contest will begin a week from tomorrow, at the Blood Bathes. I trust you know where those are. Please remember there is a fee required (at that, Yusuke had snorted), and I will see you then.  
  
Ayumi  
  
"I'm sure, Yusuke-sama, that you must be very pleased." Yani said, returning the scroll to him before clasping his hands behind his back.  
  
"Of course I am! Yani, tell Taneru I want to train in the meadow the rest of the night. I have a contest to win!" 


End file.
